Just Sing
by The 8th Stone
Summary: Just Sing, the phenomenal live television singing contest. Love, drama, friendship, and betrayal... Do you have the talent to make it big?
1. And So They Come

_**Just Sing**_

_(do you have the talent to make it big?)_

* * *

><p><span>i. And So They Come<span>

"Number one, please enter!"

A teenage girl with heavy makeup and shiny clothes entered the room with frigid steps, though her expression was that one of pure delight. When she faced the judges on the small stage, she spoke immediately.

"Oh my god, it's such a pleasure to meet you! I've been a fan of this show ever since—"

"Your name is Rita McKin," Kakashi Hatake drawled on the left side of the table, "yes?"

The girl gave a brilliant grin. "Rita is fine, Mr. Hatake! I'm a big fan of yours and—"

"Miss McKin," Kurenai Yuuhi, who sat in the center seat, interrupted warily.

"Miss Yuuhi! I know all about you! You're the nicest judge out of the three, but you're also the—"

"Girl. Just sing." Asuma Sarutobi tapped the cardboard logo behind him loudly.

Rita flushed. "Yes. Of course. My, uh, my song—the song I'm going to perform. I mean, like, the song I am going to _sing_, not exactly perform . . ."

"_Miss McKin_."

"'T-Rex' by J. J. Roberts," the girl squeaked out.

The judges shared a significant look. "T-Rex" was a pop song, an unusual choice for the show, _Just Sing_. Everyone knew "T-Rex" sounded horrible without the heavy metal rock in the background.

Still, if this girl was able to pull it off . . .

Sensing the contestant has frozen in place, Kakashi nodded. "Go on. Start at the chorus if you want."

She coughed into her fist nervously. "Um, of course."

Rita took a deep breath in and began to sing:

"_You-you-you-you-you-you are just so  
>Wild-wild-wild-wild-wild-wild.<br>Make me lo-ose my head._

_And now you run-run-run-run-run;  
>You're such a helpless thing,<br>Right in front of me in my grasp._

'_Cuz T-Rex, babe, I'm just like a T-Rex,  
>And I am a carnival—"<em>

"Carnivorous," Kurenai said as she took a long drink from her water bottle. It was becoming clear that Rita had no talent in singing. The girl hit every note correctly, but her voice was as thin as a reed. Hearing her sing was painful.

"Sorry. I mean—"

"Just sing."

"—_And I am a carnivorous being.  
>Let me devour you mind.<em>

_Right here-here-here-here-here,  
>In the jungle, you're nothing but a<br>Small and cowardly thing._

_But your body tempts me so—"_

Rita was the first contestant, so they allowed her a few extra verses, but Asuma put down his foot when the high note went ridiculously off-key.

"Stop."

Rita stopped and glanced uncertainly at each judge.

"Thank you, Miss McKin," said Kakashi, his lone visible eye halfway closed.

Rita bit her lip, looking at the three adults almost pleadingly. When there came no response, she walked out the room again, no doubt to cry outside with her friends, to complain about how unfair the judges were, to gain reassurance from her fellow peers that her singing was good.

But she would get over it, like the thousands of others who left the room without green tickets for the trip to Konohagakure.

As Rita left, Kurenai put a hand over her eyes. "God, this is going to be a long day."

"Isn't it always." Kakashi already took out his book of porn. "How many good ones do you think we can find in this city?"

"Hey, don't be so pessimistic, Kakashi." Asuma leaned back, stretching. "Who knows? Maybe we can find another Nagato in this place."

"Impossible. Nagato was a genius himself; there is no way anyone will be able to compete with the guy."

"Hm. I don't know." Kurenai smoothed down her dress. "I heard there are some pretty strong people coming up this year. Famous, too. Know that Uchiha kid?"

"Sasuke Uchiha? Of Uchiha Corps? _He_ is going to come to _Just Sing_?"

"Yeah. I heard about that too. Lost a bet to Itachi, I think." Kakashi giggled as he read a particularly interesting page of his book. "Prideful Uchihas. They're all the same."

"Fame doesn't mean anything, though. _Just Sing _prides on real talent—unless, of course, he bribes Tsunade with sake."

Kurenai sighed. "And his mad fans are going to come after him too. I knew it. There were more women signing up this year. Now _that_ is going to be some interesting drama in the show."

"Hey, who knows though? Some of those rabid fan-girls might have real talent."

Kurenai regarded at Asuma with a look of suspicion. "What's gotten into you? Why so optimistic today?"

The man shrugged. "Just a good feeling about this season, that's all."

Rita's high-pitched voice drifted into the room:

"_. . . think the judges have made a mistake. I don't accept this result! They didn't even hear the whole song. How can they . . ."_

The black-haired woman shook her head. "Asuma, you must've smoked on the wrong end of the cigarette yesterday."

* * *

><p>"Ino! I am not going!"<p>

"But why, Forehead? You have such an amazing voice!" Ino paused. "Well, not as amazing as mine, of course. Still, you need to come and not mope around about Sai."

Sakura crossed her arms, a fruitless gesture to stop Ino from dragging her across the street. They attracted a lot of gazes from the passerby.

"I do _not_ mope around about Sai! It's called _work_, 'kay?"

"Psh. Forcing yourself to work, moping about your breakup. Same thing. Forehead, trust me, what you need is a fresh start! And what other way to get that fresh start then by attending _Just Sing_?"

Sakura ceased her struggles and sighed.

"Wouldn't it be easier if you just, I dunno . . ."

"Set you on a blind date? Hm . . . that actually is a good idea . . ."

"No, Pig!"

"But _Just Sing_ actually has cute boys! You never know, you just might meet a future Nagato."

Sakura scowled. "Pig, you _do_ understand everyone here lives in this area and that we already . . . _whoa_."

In front of them was the Konoha Tunes Entertainment Huaer City Branch. Hundreds crowded at the entrance of the tall, pristine-white building, talking, laughing, or singing. There was a huge poster stuck to the front of the two-story glass doors with the bright red words **JUST SING AUDITIONS TODAY**.

Sakura gawked.

Ino gawked.

* * *

><p>"Number 352, enter!"<p>

With Ino muttering words of encouragement behind, Sakura pushed through the door and walked to the center of the room.

The three judges gawked at her hair.

"Is that natural?" Kakashi Hatake openly asked.

"Yes, my hair is natural. No, I do not appreciate people staring at it." She could feel the camera zooming in when she said that. Sakura sighed. "No offense."

"None taken," Asuma said briskly, leaning back in his chair.

Kurenai shook herself. "My apologies. Please continue."

"Your name is Sakura Haruno, yes?" the last judge asked. "I see. Please introduce the song you are gonna sing and start whenever you wish."

Sakura nodded. "I am performing 'For You I Sing' by the Butterfly Whisperers."

She gauged their reactions carefully. The judges responded with bored eyes and forced attentiveness. Kakashi's visible eye was closed.

Sakura sighed. Hopefully Ino wouldn't be disappointed if she didn't make it. After clearing her throat, she started, soft and sweet:

"_Oh—  
>It's been three weeks since you left me<br>Wandering on the curb,  
>And, seriously, to be honest,<br>I've been doing some thinking._

'_Cuz no matter how hard the breakdown is,  
>No matter how it should have ended—<br>Memories are past,  
>Decisions are made,<br>And you, my love, are long gone . . ."_

Only a verse in, and the judges were left speechless. Even Kakashi sat bolt-upright, listening to Sakura's song intensely.

Sakura's voice rose for the faster chorus:

"_It is for you that I changed my own mind,  
>For you I seek sorrow,<br>For you I find solitary a peace,  
>For you I sing this song.<em>

_Because you promised me that one time,  
>Because you said, "I will,"<br>That you and I will have  
>A forever everyone is jealous of—"<em>

The last note hung in the air for a while. Sakura felt every eye in the room, including the camera crew and show producers, trained on her.

"_But fantasy is but fantasy  
>And I have grown up.<br>Now I know not to trust  
>When some other boy comes along.<em>

_Because  
>It is for you I changed my mind,<br>For you I seek sorrow,  
>For you I find solitary a peace,<br>For you I . . ."_

Sakura closed her eyes.

"_For you I sing this song."_

Sakura lifted her head slowly and watched, impassive, as the judge nodded their heads.

After a quick whisper amongst themselves, Kurenai met Sakura's eye and smiled.

"Miss Haruno . . . how would you like to go to Konohagakure?"

* * *

><p><strong>an:** I just want to get the first chapter out first. . . .

Is this based on American Idol . . . ? Maybe. I don't really watch the show. They comment on everything wayyy too much. So some parts of how the singing contest work will definitely be fictional. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing . . . depends.

I will be writing all of the lyrics to every single song, and I seriously doubt they will rhyme. Sorry for any bad lyrics in advance. If there is one thing writing really cannot duplicate, it is music. :P


	2. The Competitors

ii. The Competitors

"_Miss Blenn . . . are you interested in a trip to Konohagakure?"_

Predictably, the girl in the television screamed.

"_AAAH! Oh my god oh my god oh my god. Seriously? I__—__I get to go to Konoha? EEEEK!"_

Even Kurenai, a judge herself, plugged her ears from the girl's high-pitched voice.

Sakura sighed. She switched off the TV and snuggled closer to her pillow, arms hugging her legs.

Ino clicked off the phone with the last "I know, Mom. Love you too!" and walked out of the bathroom. Judging by her sigh of relief, the conversation with her parents went fine.

"Thank goodness . . . I thought Daddy would _never_ stop telling me about rapists and molesters in Konoha. You'd think we're already there! I mean, even if it _is_ a movie-production city, everyone says that it's been rated one of the safest places in the whole world and—wait, you turned off the channel?"

"Yeah. No offense, but I really, _really_ can't stand that girl's screaming."

Ino snatched the remote from Sakura's hand anyway. "No no no! Sakura, haven't you ever watched _Just Sing_?"

"Once or twice . . . ?"

Ino clucked her tongue. "You're hopeless, aren't you? _Know thy enemy_, Sakura. _Know thy enemy_," she said sagely.

"Um, what enemy are you—"

The television screen blinked to colors.

"Shh," Ino shushed as she pulled the bed sheets over her knees. "Watch this."

Sakura obliged.

A bowl-cut haired man with thick eyebrows smiled to the camera. When he struck a pose, his green spandex suit seemed to shimmer and wobble. Sakura saw Ino suppress a wince.

This man was Gai Maito, or Might Guy, the eccentric host of _Just Sing_.

"_. . . the judges have finally decided. Now, my dear viewers!"_ he exclaimed. _"The audition rounds are officially over! Let's take a look at this year's future stars!"_

Behind him, the swirly, red-and-emerald logo of _Just Sing_ dissolved into dozens of tiny blocks that filled up the background. Each block contained some sort of photo that was undecipherable to Sakura.

"_From day one in Sunagakure, here is Gaara Sabaku__—__"_

Music cued. The photo-block expanded into full screen, showing a clip of a redhead boy with heavy bags under his eyes.

He sang, _"Darkness surrounds me with every step I take__—__"_

"—_Kankuro Sabaku__—__"_ the spandex man's voice continued.

The photo dissolved into another. This time it showed a different boy with a black cat-ear hoodie and purple markings on his face.

"_Are you a puppeteer, the devil, pulling strings?__—__"_

"—_and Temari Sabaku!"_

"_And hey, baby, dear dear, you blow me away__—__"_

"_Next,"_ the announcer's voice continued as the girl's voice faded_, "here we see the shining candidates of Otogakure! Kin Tsuchi!"_

"_The devilish melody you sing/My heart goes thud thud thud in every beat__—__"_

So it continued, from city to city, showing each passing contestant's abridged audition clips. Ino squealed particularly when Huaer City, the city they lived in, was announced.

"—_Miss Ino Yamanaka__—__"_

"Eek! That's me, Sakura! That's me!"

"_Don't underestimate me/I'm not your typical blondie, you see__—__"_

"—_and __Sakura Haruno!"_

"_For you I find solitary a peace . . . for you I sing this song."_

After the scene was cut to another city, Ino pouted. "Forehead, you're such showoff. 'For You I Sing' is not even your favorite song."

Her friend grinned. "Whatever, Pig. _Don't be jealous of me/'Cuz I'm not your typical pinkette_, _you see_,'" she sang.

"As if."

They laughed.

The rest of some sixty people flashed pass the screen. Some, like Kiba Inuzuka or Lee Rock, stood to mind because of their diverting singing skills from the rest of the talents. Others Sakura only remembered as "Oh, he sings pretty well," or "Oh, her voice range is kind of impressive."

After twenty minutes, there were only a few more towns to go, and Sakura was getting a little sleepy. These past few days of _Just Sing_ paperwork and hotel reservations after her and Ino's successful audition tired her out. Tomorrow they had to meet up with the JS crew at Academy City for the drive to Konoha, too. Perhaps she should rest now, not because she actually cared about _Just Sing_ or anything, but because she had a feeling she was going to need that sleep . . .

"—_last but not least, Sasuke Uchiha!"_

Ino's scream jolted her awake.

"Wha-What? What happened? Did someone—"

"No, Sakura. It's _Sasuke Uchiha! _I never thought_—_"

"_And so I walk down the road  
>Never stopping for a thought of you<br>Because this is my destiny to fulfill  
>This endless dream of mine."<em>

"I bet he's even hotter in real life. Oh my god. To think, we're going to meet _Sasuke Uchiha_. He's—"

Ino stopped at the look of Sakura's face. She hit the mute button on the remote.

"Billboard Brow? What's wrong?"

"He . . ."

"Sakura?"

"He—Sai . . . I—" Sakura blinked. "I mean, how biased! They gave him four lines of screen time!"

"Sakura . . . ?"

"I bet his rich parents bribed him in _Just Sing_ too. The things people would do in show biz!"

"Sakura . . ."

"Yes, Ino?"

Ino frowned at Sakura's behavior and chose her next word carefully.

"Are you, um, alright?"

Sakura smiled. "I'm fine. Why shouldn't I be?" She didn't give her friend a chance to answer the question. "Anyway, I'm a bit tired, Ino. I'm gonna sleep now."

"Sure . . . I'm hitting the pillows too. It _is_ getting pretty late."

"Uh-huh. Goodnight, Pig."

Ino turned the TV off, and replied, "Goodnight, Forehead."

Somewhere, a family of four, or a couple snuggled in front of the television perhaps, would see a black-haired boy who looked much like Sasuke Uchiha, standing on the audition stage, singing:

"—and Sai!"

"_I didn't mean to break your heart,/I just didn't understand if what we felt was love . . ._"

* * *

><p><strong>an:** This chapter ended weirdly. -_- It was supposed to be longer too, but it's cut short so the other chapters won't be a killer. Like my other fics.

My fanfic projects are supposed to be on hiatus too, but this chapter is an exception. It just got too dusty, sitting in my fanfiction folder all completed and ready to go. So here it is.

For all my fellow NaNoWriMo participants, good luck~ And for all of my readers, hope you had fun reading~


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